Religion: Revolt Against Christianity

On the small, barren island of Likoma in Africa's Lake Nyasa stands a
great cathedral. Built by native Anglican converts a century ago, it
was long the center of Anglican missionary work in Nyasaland and a
showpiece of transplanted Christianity. Today, huge cracks threaten to
bring down the remnants of its walls, and its stained-glass windows
hang crazily from their worm-eaten wooden frames.

Witch doctors and nationalist prophets have confused and corroded the
congregation. Recently, one of the local splinter-sect "messiahs"
announced that he meant to establish headquarters on the island, and
the missionary priests resorted to a theatrical gesture. They...